Aria stumbled through the dark forest, her body screaming with pain. Elena's magical fire had burned her shoulder, and glass cuts covered her arms. But nothing hurt worse than her broken heart.
She collapsed against a huge oak tree, unable to take another step. Sobs shook her body as the night's horrors crashed over her. Elena was alive but filled with hate. Mara had twisted her sweet sister into a tool of revenge.
"I failed you," she whimpered into the darkness. "I failed you twice, Elena."
A twig snapped behind her. Aria spun around, expecting to see Elena's cold blue eyes. Instead, a familiar figure stepped out from the darkness.
"Caleb?" she gasped, wiping tears from her face.
Rowan's Beta moved closer, his green eyes filled with worry. His usually perfect hair was messy, and dirt stained his clothes. He looked like he'd been running through the forest for hours.
"Thank God I found you," he said, kneeling beside her. "When I saw you climb out your window, I followed. I was worried something bad would happen."
"You followed me?" Aria's voice was barely a whisper. "I've been watching over you for weeks," Caleb admitted, his cheeks going red. "I know that sounds creepy, but I was worried. You seemed so lost, so broken."
He reached out gently and touched her burned shoulder. Aria flinched, but his touch was warm and soothing, nothing like Elena's cruel magic.
"What happened to you?" he asked, his voice tight with anger. "Who hurt you?" Fresh tears spilled down Aria's face. "My sister. Elena's living, but she hates me. She tried to kill me."
Caleb's eyes widened in shock. "Elena? But she drowned ten years ago."
"No," Aria sobbed. "A witch named Mara saved her. But she put fake memories in Elena's head. Now my sister thinks I'm a killer."
She told him everything - finding the letters, discovering Mara's plan, meeting Elena in the witch's lair. Caleb listened without interrupting, his face getting darker with each word.
"Mara Lune," he said finally. "I've heard stories about her. She's old, powerful, and completely evil."
"She wants to use my power for some ritual," Aria continued.
"She said my spirit wolf has been growing stronger because of my pain." Caleb's hand stilled on her shoulder.
"Spirit wolf? Aria, do you understand how rare that is?"
"Rare enough that a witch wants to steal it," she said angrily. "No, you don't get it." Caleb's voice was excited now.
"Spirit wolves are famous. They're related to the Moon Goddess herself. There hasn't been one in over a hundred years."
Aria looked up at him through her tears. "What does that mean?"
"It means you're incredibly special," Caleb said softly. "More special than Rowan ever realized." At the mention of Rowan's name, fresh pain stabbed through Aria's chest. "It doesn't matter. He picked Lyra. He called me nothing."
"He's an idiot," Caleb said furiously. "A blind, stupid idiot who doesn't deserve you."
Something in his voice made Aria look at him more carefully. His green eyes blazed with emotion she'd never seen before. Not just worry - something deeper.
"Caleb," she started to say.
"There's something I need to tell you," he interrupted, his voice shaking. "Something I've been trying to understand for weeks."
He took her hands in his, and Aria felt a strange tingling feeling. It was different from the painful pull she'd felt with Rowan. This was gentle, warm, like coming home.
"I can feel it," Caleb whispered, looking into her eyes. "A link forming between us. It's faint but getting stronger every day."
Aria's heart skipped a beat. "What kind of bond?"
"A second chance mate bond," he said, his voice full of wonder. "The Moon Goddess gives them to wolves whose first mate bond was broken or rejected."
"But I was never officially rejected," Aria argued, even as her heart began to race.
"Weren't you?" Caleb asked softly. "Every time Rowan chose Lyra over you, every time he ignored your pain, every time he made you feel worthless - wasn't that rejection?"
Aria's breath caught. He was right. Rowan had rejected her in every way that mattered, even without the formal words.
"I felt it the night you cried yourself to sleep after seeing him with Lyra," Caleb continued. "Something inside me snapped. I wanted to tear his throat out for hurting you." "Caleb,"
Aria whispered, shocked by the intensity in his voice. "I know it's crazy," he said quickly.
"I know I'm Rowan's Beta, his best friend. But I can't watch him destroy you anymore. You deserve someone who sees how amazing you are."
The tingling sensation grew stronger. Aria could feel something shifting inside her chest, like puzzle pieces clicking into place.
The broken, aching part of her heart that had been crying for Rowan began to quiet.
"Do you feel it too?" Caleb asked hopefully.
Aria nodded slowly. She did feel it - a warm, steady pull toward this kind, loyal man who'd been protecting her from the shadows. "I don't understand it," she stated. "How can I have feelings for you when I still love Rowan?"
"Love isn't simple," Caleb said, brushing a tear from her cheek.
"Your heart was broken by someone who didn't recognize its value. Now it's healing, finding someone who will." He leaned closer, and Aria felt her pulse quicken.
But before anything could happen, a howl echoed through the trees. It was filled with rage and magic - definitely not a normal wolf.
"Elena," Aria gasped, jumping to her feet. "She's hunting me." Caleb stood and pulled her behind the tree. "We need to get you somewhere safe."
"There is nowhere safe," Aria said desperately. "She has magic skills. She'll keep coming until I'm dead."
"Then we fight back," Caleb said strongly.
"You said Mara wants to perform a ritual tomorrow night?" Aria nodded.
"Then we have less than twenty-four hours to stop her," Caleb added. "But we can't do it alone."
"Rowan will never help us," Aria said angrily.
"He's too busy with his precious Lyra." Caleb's jaw tightened.
"Then we'll find another way. There are others who would stand with us - wolves who respect the old ways and fear what Mara represents." Another howl heard, closer this time. Elena was tracking them.
"We need to move," Caleb said, taking Aria's hand.
"I know a place where we can hide and plan."
As they started running through the forest, Aria felt the mate bond between them pulse with power. For the first time in months, she didn't feel alone.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked as they avoided low branches. "Why risk everything for me?" Caleb squeezed her hand. "Because you're worth it," he said simply.
"Because someone needs to fight for you the way you've been fighting for everyone else."
They ran in comfortable silence, their bond getting stronger with each shared heartbeat.
Behind them, Elena's howls grew more agitated as she lost their trail. But just as Aria started to feel hope, Caleb suddenly stopped running.
"What's wrong?" she asked, breathing hard. Caleb's face had gone pale. He was looking at something ahead of them in the trees.
"Caleb?" Aria followed his eyes and felt her blood turn to ice. Standing in their path was Rowan, his silver eyes blazing with anger. But he wasn't alone. Lyra stood beside him, a wicked smile on her face.
"Well, well," Lyra said sweetly.
"Look what we found sneaking around in the woods." Rowan's gaze locked onto their joined hands, and his face darkened dangerously.
"Hello, Beta," he said, his voice deadly quiet.
"Care to explain why you're holding my mate?"